Watch-case



2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(Mom.)

C. K. GILES..

WATCH CASE.

Pqtented July 3, 1888.

(Model.)

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

.0. K. GILES.

WATCH CASE.

No. 885,612. Patented July 8, 1888.

l 'lllllllllllllllllllullnlllllnll PATENT CHAR-LS K, GILFS, OF CHGAGO,LLNOS.

MATCH CASt-.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 395,612, dated July 3,1888.

Application iiled .Tannary QU, l

To aLZZ whom, it may concern:

Be it known that l, Cuantas K. Glues, a citizen of the United States,residing at Chicago, in the countyo look and State of Illinois, haveinvented a certain new and useful improvement in latch-Cases, which isfully set forth in the following specification, reference being had totheaccoinpanyingdrawings, in which- Figure lY is a face view of awatch-case having iny improvement applied thereto; Fig. 2, a sectionalVview ofthe saine, taken on the liuc .r .t of Fig. i; Fig. 3, atransverse sectional view ialqen on the line 1/ y of Fig. 2, with theifi-ont cap removed; Fig. 4, a plan section taken on the line .c of Fig.2, Fig. 5, a detail sectional view of the cup; Fig. G, adetail view ofone of the filling-pieces; Fig. 7, a face View of a modified forni ofcase having my improvement applied thereto; Fig. S, a sectional view ofthe same,tal en on the line a 'u of Figi, Fig. 9, a plan sectional viewofthe saine, takenon the line U e of Fig. S; Fig. l0, a dctailscctionalview taken on the line ww of Fig. S, and looking in the direction of thearrow l, the cup being shown partly in elevation and partly in section;Fig. ll, a detail plan view of one of the fillingpieces, and Fig. 12adetail view in elevation ofthe saine.

Lilie letters refer to like parts in all the figures of the drawings.

My invention relates te watchcases, and more particularly to that classof cases in which the case proper consists of a light concave shellcomposed of a center and back formed in a single piece and open at thefront to receive the movement.

Myinvention has for its object to provide means for stiiifcning andsupporting a case of this description, so that a strong and at the sainetime light case requiring the use of a ininiininin quantity of preciousmetal will be produced, and to this end my invention consists,essentially, in cup-shaped lining or `shield fitted within a case of thedescription mentioned and expanded laterally at its upper margin, so asto tit and catch underneath the inner margin of the case and be retainedfirmly in position, said cup at the same time bearing against the backof the case and strengthening and stiffening the saine.

W Sti.

My invention further consists in a sectional filling arranged in theunoccupied space bctween the'eup and case, to further strengthen thislatter and protect it from injury and dcfaceinent.

My invention further consists in certain de` tails of construction,which will behereinafter described, and then particularly pointed ont inthe claims.

ln the drawings I have shown in Figs. l to G, inclusive, a constructionin which niy invention is applied to one welll nown form of case of thedescription specilied, in which A represents the case proper, consistingof a back and center formed in a single piece or shell, and having theinwardly extending Ilange ci at its upper margin. rlhe front cap,

'AQ provided with a suitable crystal, c', is

screwed, snapped, or otherwise suitably secured upon a suitable scatformed upon the upper margin of the case A, as clearly shown in Fig. 2ofthe drawings.

Brepresents a cup shaped shield,constrneted, preferably, of seine strongand cheap material-such, for instance, as sheetiron, steel, or the like.This cup is open at the front, as shown,and is of such dimensions thatbei'orebeing expanded it may be readily placed in posi` tion within thecase A. In the forni of case shown in Figs. l to 6, inclusive, his cupis of sufficient height to extend about half-way up the margin oftheiiange (t, which latter is provided with aseat, b, at this point, formedin its under side and of a depth sntiicient to receive about one-half ofthe thickness of the material from which the cup B is constructed.

C represents a filling vformed of any incr(- pensive material ofsufficient strength, said iilling being composed of a seiies cisections, two or more in number, in order that it may be readily placedin position within the case B. This lilliiig is ot' a conformation whichadapts it to snugly occupy and dll the space between the case A and thecup B when the latter isin position within the former.

In the assembling of the parts above described the sectional filling (lis first placed in position within the case A,and the cupB then insertedwithin the case. If the filling were in single piece,it would of coursebe iinpracticable to place it in position within the case;

IOO

but, heingscctional, the various sections may be introduced singly intothe case and placed in proper position, so that when the parts areassembled the filling will occupy the space between the cup and case.The upper portion of the cup I3 is then expanded outward in alldirections by means of a suitable tool until its upper margin restsfirmly and snugly within the seat b in the upper margin of the case A,where it will be firmly retained in position, and will serve tostrengthen and kstiffen the case by the extended bearing which its bodyportion has against the back or rear surface of the case proper. Thefilling G will support and strengthen that portion of the case againstwhich the cup B does not bear, and will prevent injury thereto byindentation or otherwise. That portion of the cup B which projectsinward beyond the iiange a of the case proper, A, forms a seat toreceive the movement, which is mounted upon the ring D, the saidmovement not being shown in the present instance, as it forms no part ofmy present invention. It will thus be seen that the cup B not onlyserves to strengthen the case, but

also to form a seat for the movement, the supporting-ring D of whichrests upon said seat, as shown, and is secured in any suitable manner.

In Figs. 7 to 12 of the drawings I have shown my invention applied toanother well-known form of case of the description specified. In thisconstruction, A represents the case proper, which consists of a back andcenter formed in a singlepicce and open at the front to receive themovement, and having the inwardly-projecting iiange c. The front cap,A', provided with a crystal, c', is hinged or otherwise secured to theease, the manner of securing the same forming no part of my presentinvention.

B represents the cup, which is constructed at hereinbefore described,the securing-seat, however, being formed in this instance upon the upperouter margin of the cup, as shown at b', so that when the said cup isexpanded the said seat will rest against the flange a, and f will holdthe cup firmly in position within the case.

In the form of case shown the movement is mounted in a movement-holdingring, E, to which the pendant E is attached directly, saidmovement-holding ring being also provided at a point diametricallyopposite said pendant with a supporting-lug, e, adapted to catch underthe flange c of the case. In order to reeeive this movement-holding ringa seat, b2, is formed in the inner upper margin of the cup B, whichlatter is also provided with a notch or recess, b3, on one side toreceive the pendant E, and with a slot or recess, b4, diametricallyopposite thereto to receive the retaininglug c. A sectional iilling, C,is also employed in this form of case, it being in all respectsidentical with that already described, except that it is provided with anotched or cut-away portion, c, to receive the pendant E, and a similarrecess or seat, ci, to receivet'heend of the retaining-lug e. Itavillthus be seen that a light case of precious metal, inexpensive on accountof the small amount of the said metal employed, may be used `inconjunction with my improvement, and that the strengtheningcup may bereadily placed in position within t-he same and expanded, when it willbe held firmly seated within the case under the iiange thereof and willeifectually stiften the case. Moreover, the edge or side of the casewill be strengthened and preserved from injury by means of the fillingC, although this latter filling may of course be dispensed with withoutdeparting from the principle of my invention. In case the cup B isconstructed of 'somehighly-magnetic metal or material, which I preferfor the purpose, it will form an antimagnetic shield, such as is setforth in Letters Patent No. 289,742, granted to me December 4, 1883, andwill 'provide for all the benefits to be derived from such a shield.

I am aware that it is not new to insert within a case of the descriptionhereinbefore set forth astiftening-pieceto bear against the back of theease, said stiifening-piece having elastic arms, which of their ownelasticity spring outward and engage under the margin of the case, sucha constructionV being set forth in Letters Patent No. 324,675, grantedAugust 18, 1885, to E. C. Fitch.

I am also aware that it is not broadly new to employ a cup-shaped innercap 7 to bear against the back of the case, as the same is set forth inLetters Patent No. 316,767, granted April 28, 1885, to said Fitch. Inthis construction, however, the watch-case is madein separate partsy topermit the introduction of the cup, which latter is not expanded intoposition.

It is obvious that various modifications in the details of constructionand arrangement of the parts may be made without departing from theprinciple of my invention, and I therefore do not wish to be understoodas limiting myself strictly to the precise details hereinbeforedescribed, and shown in the drawings.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

1.- In a watch-case, the combination, with the case proper, consistingof a back and center formed in a singlepiece, and provided with anintegral flange projecting inward from its margin, of the internalstrengthening-cup formed in a single piece, bearing against the back ofthe case, and having its continuous upper portion expanded to catchunder the Iiange, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

2. In a watch-case, the combination, with the case proper, consisting ofa center and back formed in a single piece, and provided with anintegral inward] y-projecting flange on its margin, ofthestrengthening-cup having its continuous upper portion expanded to catchun TOO IIO

nel" the Hnge, and provided with a Seat to Te eeive the movement,substantially as and for the purposee speeifiedd 3. In a Watch-ense, thecombination, with the case proper, consisting of a center and backformed in a single piece, of the Strengthening-enp secured Within theSame und a seo tional filling occupying the space between the cup andense, substantially as and forthe pun poses specified.

4. In a Watch-ease, the combination, with the ease proper, A, consistingof a back and ee-nter formed in a single piece, and provided l with theintegral inwmdlyprojeeting zmge o,

of the inteinal stirengthening-oup, 33, bearing 15 against the beek ofthe ease and having its npper portion expanded to catch under theflange, 5 and the sectional lling @occupying the space between the cupand the ease, substantially as and for the purpoees specified.

CHARLES K. GILES. -Witnesses:

IRVINE MILLER, XV. C. OORLIES.

